New repair system used for M25 repairs

Stirling Lloyd is using a new extrusion based joint repair system to help reinstate major sections of the M25.

The repair work to fretted lane joints within carriageways of the M25 is being undertaken as part of a Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract for the Highways Agency by road marking and repair specialist LMS Highways.

Its MMAX lorry-mounted repair system uses a specially formulated version of Stirling Lloyd’s HAPAS-approved Safetrack Crack Infill, which is based on the company’s advanced fast-curing reactive resins, to work within the MMAX system.

Recent M25 repair work has been completed on the motorway’s northern sections from junctions 22 to 25 around South Mimms and at junction 5 near Godstone, with Stirling Lloyd developing a bespoke concrete grey coloured system to blend in with the road surface.

The MMAX system begins the repair by blowing warm, dried, compressed air into the crack that needs to be fixed, removing any dirt and debris. It then dries a 500mm wide path over the crack before applying the repair crack infill screed over the damaged surface, in an automated one-pass extrusion process from the lorry.

This combination of material and MMAX system is capable of repairing up to 1,200 linear metres of carriageway per hour.

The MMAX vehicle can be used within a mobile lane closure procedure by which traffic management moves at the speed of the joint repair system. All operatives are safely located on board the lorry and not in the highway and eliminating the need for cones as well as multiple crossings of live carriageways by the traffic management team make it a much quicker and safer process.

Once the Safetrack Crack Infill has been applied, an over-scatter of granite chippings for enhanced skid-resistance is laid, and within 10 minutes the resin has cured hard to form a tough, long-lasting surface finish that is immediately ready to re-open to motorway traffic.

Paul Winter, managing director of LMS Highways, said: “Working with Stirling Lloyd to develop bespoke materials to work with our MMAX system we have together developed a faster, safer process that is enabling much shorter road closures and minimising disruption across large sections of the motorway network. The process is also much more environmentally friendly, extending the lifespan of the carriageway joints and ensuring fewer repairs are needed long term.”